


The Bond Between Stars

by VoyeurTheNinja



Category: Senki Zesshou Symphogear
Genre: F/F, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 15:43:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20876675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VoyeurTheNinja/pseuds/VoyeurTheNinja
Summary: Several months after Tsubasa and Maria had moved into the same apartment, Maria decides to take her partner out into the city. Unlike the daily trips they often made, Maria had something else in mind for her fellow idol.





	The Bond Between Stars

Tsubasa drew in the morning air before letting out a small groan, her body still aching last night's activities with Maria. Her eyes still shut, she lifted one hand from her side and searched for her partner, only to feel nothing but Maria's pillow behind her. _Odd_, she thought, wondering if she had gotten up early to run an errand or two. Rolling over onto Maria's side of the bed, she pulled the unoccupied pillow to her chest and was unable to hold herself back from taking a whiff of it. _It smelled like her_, a small giggle accompanied her thoughts.

Finally opening her eyes, Tsubasa saw that she was indeed alone in the bedroom of their apartment, the curtains closed shut as rays of morning light peeked inbetween the gaps. While she somewhat disappointed that she didn't wake up to the sight of a pink-haired beauty, Tsubasa eased the feeling by simply holding onto her pillow even tighter. But before she could do anything else with the pillow, a small knock on the door caused the girl to yelp and withdraw a hand that had reached down her body.

"Tsubasa?" Maria announced her presence before she entering the room with a tray that carried two cups of coffee. She barely managed to suppress a chuckle when she saw the messy-haired idol hiding underneath the blankets, "Good morning."

Drawn out from her hiding spot by her sweet tone, Tsubasa returned the greeting with a smile while still clinging onto Maria's pillow "Good morning, Maria."

When she sat down on one side of the bed, Maria placed the tray of drinks on the bedside drawer, and one hand on Tsubasa's left cheek. The first thing Tsubasa's lips tasted was strawberry, then, after a brief moment that left her cheeks as a low shade of red, she tasted the coffee that Maria had prepared for them. As always, a cup prepared by her was something to die for. Elfnein had definitely been teaching her a thing or two about brewing.

"I take it that you're still a bit tired from last night?" Maria asked with a somewhat sly smile as she enjoyed her own drink.

Her cheeks still flushed, Tsubasa gave a curt nod, "While it was certainly _unique _compared to our usual escapades, I still quite enjoyed myself, Maria," she placed her head on the taller girl's shoulder and couldn't help herself from taking a whiff of her hair. This made Maria's own cheeks turn a fair shade of red, "We certainly need to get the sheets clean after what we did."

"That, we do."

Both of them taking a sip in unison, the next few minutes went by in silence as the girls took the moment to relax. Still covering her bare self with the blanket, Tsubasa quietly leaned into Maria for warmth while the taller girl's fingers played with the edge of her blouse. As the _tick-tock _noise of the bed-side clock occupied the air, the silence was eventually broken when Maria cleared her throat to speak up.

"Say, Tsubasa, since it's the weekend - and our schedule is free - I thought that we could do something special for today," as Maria reached into her pockets, Tsubasa curiously tilted her head to one side at the sight of two brightly-coloured tickets that Maria pulled out for her to see. They bore a lavish design of stars, gold trims, and were obviously something that one could not get without little difficulty.

Taking one into her hand, Tsubasa read the one word that had immediately caught her eye, "Starlight?"

"It's a famous play, one that few would turn down the chance to see," Maria explained with an air of confidence as Tsubasa handed her back the ticket, "While I'm not one to go events such as this, I thought that it would be a nice change from what we usually do. What do you think, Tsubasa?"

Tsubasa's reply was a peck on the cheek, which very nearly broke Maria's bravado, "If it's time with you, Maria, then it is very much fine with me," shooting her a small smile and a chuckle, Maria had to place a hand over her reddish face in order for her confidence to not completely shatter right there and then, "Also-" Tsubasa sheepishly raised an emptied mug with a sword-and-dagger emblem that had been crudely hand-painted onto it, "Seconds, please."

* * *

With one finger repeatedly tapping on the armrest of the car's backseat, her eyes were unable to look at anywhere aside from Tsubasa as Maria sat on her left. Despite having been the one to pick out the blue, asymmetrical dress that she was now wearing several days ago, seeing her actually wear it on a special occasion such as this made her feel as though the temperature of the car was a few degrees too high. She had to muster the will within her to not stare at Tsubasa's right leg, which was exposed all the way to her thigh.

Tsubasa probably had similar thoughts for her, as the blue-haired girl occasionally looked away from the trees that were illuminated by the afternoon light, just to steal a few glances at the white gown that Maria herself was wearing. As the gown perfectly fitted around her, she felt confident that what she wore perfectly emphasized the best parts of her body, all for the sake of feeding Tsubasa the proverbial eye-candy. But at one point, their eyes met, and since most of the trip had been in silence up until now, the two couldn't help but turn a shade of red, their hands holding onto one another between them.

"Y-You look great, Maria."

"You t-too, Tsubasa," Maria coughed into her fist and glanced at the front seat where Ogawa was handling the wheel.

Noticing her through the rear-view mirror, the Producer urged her on with a smile of confidence before turning his attention back to the road.

Straightening her back, Maria shifted in her seat until she was right next to Tsubasa, and placed a hand around the girl's waist. Tsubasa complied by putting her own arm around Maria's waist, and the two leaned into one another. Maria's tone did not falter, "Before the play, I thought that we could go for lunch at a restaurant nearby," she took out her smartphone and showed a picture of it to Tsubasa who immediately did a double-take.

"But that... isn't it almost _impossible_ to get a reservation there? How did you-?"

Maria held a finger to Tsubasa's lips and gave a wink, "We have our - well - connections."

At the front seat, a casual hum from Ogawa went unnoticed by Tsubasa as the girl continued to stare at the picture of the restaurant that they were going to. From what she had heard a year or two before, a reservation at such a place would be needed to be placed months beforehand, and even then, confirmation for such a thing wasn't something to be expected all the time. As her eyes shined at the prospect of dining meals few could ever taste, Maria couldn't help but chuckle a bit at Tsubasa's visible excitement.

"W-What?" the girl pouted, hesitantly tearing her eyes away from Maria's phone, "I'm just surprised, that's all. I-If anything-" she twiddled with her fingers, a sight that made Maria's heart almost flutter, "I feel a bit bad that you went this far, just for me."

"Oh, don't worry, Tsubasa," she grabbed her hands and pulled her into a tight hug, "I'm fine with doing whatever that makes you happy, so don't apologize for anything like this, alright?" she received a shy nod in response, and with her this close, Maria could smell the shampoo that Tsubasa had used when they showered together this morning. Though, she still couldn't help but feel a _little_ guilty when the two spent too much time in the bath, that by the time Ogawa had arrived to pick them up, the two had yet to even get dressed. Then again, Ogawa had expected such shenanigans to begin with.

Turning her head until they were face-to-face, Tsubasa finally gave her an excited smile once again, "So, what can I expect to eat?"

"Me?" her hush answer resulted in rosy cheeks from Tsubasa and a giggle from herself. She wondered if she was having way too much fun with this, "You can order whatever you like. I'm sure everything they serve there will be to your liking," leaning in until her mouth was right next to Tsubasa's ear, it took all of Maria's strength to not giggle once again, "You can have me for dessert tonight, though."

"I'm looking forward to it," Tsubasa flashed a brave face, one that was betrayed by her still-rosy cheeks. As expected of a sword, she was one that would not fall for her whims so easily. _In the presence of others, that is_, Maria cheekily thought to herself.

Eventually, the car came to a stop, and Ogawa opened the door for the pair as they exited the vehicle. As a small breeze blew by, Ogawa held one hand over his chest and gave the two a formal bow, "I shall remain on standby while you two dine. When you are finished, you may simply call me so that I may return here with haste. The play is still several hours away from starting, so you may take your time."

With the schedule agreed upon, Ogawa returned to the vehicle and drove off as Maria interlocked her arm with Tsubasa's. When the pair approached a large, 5-story restaurant, the double-doors before them were quickly opened as they were immediately recognized for who they were. For the next several hours, Maria almost felt like she was in a dream, one that she wouldn't mind staying in forever as she and Tsubasa enjoyed the finest fruits of a life without conflict. The memory of fighting Noise, to her, felt like a distant memory that had long past.

* * *

While theatre was a concept that both Maria and Tsubasa were familiar with, the spectacle of actually being in a proscenium theatre was something else entirely. Gazing upon the rows and rows of seats that were occupied and far as the eye could see, the tickets that Tsubasa and Maria had actually granted them a place in the seats above, giving them a clear, unrivaled view of the stage. At first, Tsubasa was amazed that Maria could get them a seat such as this, but the clear look of surprise on Maria's own face immediately told her that not even she had expected this.

"Breath-taking, isn't?" Tsubasa leaned forward in her seat, taking Maria's hand in hers, "It certainly has a different feel from our concerts."

Maria's grip was firm, yet gentle, just like the smile she wore, "It is," Maria took in a deep breath, and slowly recollected herself, "Do you know what this play is about, Tsubasa?" when Maria received a shake of the head as a response, Maria felt confident that she could say what she had memorized for this very moment, "'Starlight', is a play that has been reenacted for almost half a century now. A tale of love and separation between goddesses, as they say," then, her minor bravado simmered down to that of sincerity, "To think that I am about to see such a thing, with you here, is frankly almost... unbelievable."

"Funny you should say that, Maria," Tsubasa chuckled, placing a hand on the balcony as she looked at the glimmering lights on the stage, "We've been through events far more unbelievable than any of this. The Noise, the Frontier Incident, the Magical Girl Incident, and so much more. Yet... I can't help but completely agree with you," leaning back in her seat again, the two shared an earnest laugh, and a small kiss that lasted for only a second, but felt like an eternity.

Finally, the lights on the stage flickered like stars amidst the night sky, and the two fixated their attention onto the stage as the show was about to begin. Their hands held tight with their bodies close together for warmth, the crowd below murmured as spotlights flared, orchestral music filled the air, and actors began taking to the stage. With two large, four-pointed stars shining high on the stage above a silver tower, Tsubasa felt Maria's grasp on her hand tighten.

'Starlight', as Maria had explained to Tsubasa, was a tale of love and separation, indeed. As the actors uttered their passionate lines to the tune of the music, they play began to weave a tale that none could ever look away from: During a time long past - in a country with a name had been lost to time - two young goddesses met underneath the yearly downpour of shooting stars. In an encounter that some would call the work of fate, the two had descended from the heavens to partake in the yearly festivities of the mortals, and in their journey for excitement that the heavens could never allow, the pair found something so much more.

That night, the two goddesses indulged in pleasures to their heart's content in their mortal forms, holding nothing back after being restrained by the archaic chains of heaven for so long. Before the sun rose on the following day, the goddesses promised to meet once more in the subsequent year, and with that, returned to the heavens with little suspicion from the mortal realm.

But their 'acts of sin' did not go unnoticed. As the two attempted to reunite once more on the following year, both goddesses were cursed for her deeds, stripped of their statuses, and banished from the heavens. But the goddess that had initiated the relationship received a far worse treatment, as she was relinquished of both her status and memories, leaving her no more than a confused, lowly mortal before her partner's eyes upon their second meeting. Despite this tragedy, the other goddess refused to simply fall to despair. Instead, she chose to bring them both to the distant, silver tower that they had used to enter the realm long ago.

The other goddess, despite the loss of her memory, her pride, and her powers, could still feel the bond that they had forged between them before. Thus, with a new promise to return back to the heavens, the two climbed the endless staircases of the silver tower, their frail, mortal forms giving them no pause as they were fueled by pure will and love. But this journey was made not for the sake of returning to those that had cursed them. Instead, it was to show the heavens the bonds that still lingered within them despite the curse that had been unfairly placed upon them. Even as they encountered the remains of other goddesses who had been plagued with a similar fate, only to die as they attempted this very act of defience, the two did not hesitate for even a second.

Upon reaching the top of tower, the two bloodied goddesses felt their mortal forms begin to succumb to their limits as they found themselves at a height that pierced the very sky itself. But while the goddess who had lost everything slowly began to accept her fate, the other refused, as she attempted to carry the both of them to their destination through sheer force-of-will. It was an act that not even the gods above could understand, and as the two reached for the stars - the gates of heaven - the tale came to an ambigious end.

When Tsubasa realized that it was over, it took her a second to notice that her eyes had gotten somewhat watery. Wiping her face with a pleased smile, she glanced aside to Maria who was still fixated on the stage, visibly pondering on what fate awaited the two goddesses as she tapped a finger on the balcony in thought. Tsubasa had to call her name several times in order to get her attention.

"Oh? Sorry," Maria chuckled, stretching her body before letting out a small groan, "That ending left me questioning _so_ many things, but, I enjoyed it, regardless."

"I enjoyed it as well. It was certainly... quite the tale," pursing her lips, Tsubasa then stood up and offered a hand to help her partner to her feet. When Maria rose from her seat, Tsubasa pulled her into a tight hug, "Maria. Everything we did today... I'm grateful that it happened. Grateful that you're here for all this, to begin with. Thank you."

As the show finally ended with an applause from the crowd, the pair spent a minute of alone-time on the balcony before exiting the theatre hall. Outside, they had ran into the two actresses who played the goddesses and gave them their autographs. Both of them were avid fans of Tsubasa and Maria's work, but in order to not attract any attention for the sake of their privacy, their meeting was tragically-brief._ Befitting of the two that played the goddesses_, Tsubasa couldn't help but observe.

* * *

When Maria had phoned for Ogawa to pick them up, he had arrived no later than 5 minutes after Maria had ended the call. In the car, the weight of everything that had occured in a single day finally begun to weight upon Tsubasa, though Maria herself had plenty of energy to spare. She found it hard to get tired if she wasn't doing anything that worked up a bit of sweat anyway. Thus, the ride home was spent in total silence as Tsubasa leaned onto Maria the entire way back, lazily typing away on her phone as Yukine had texted her about the beach trip that she had gone to with Kirika & Shirabe.

During the drive, Maria simply watched as the moonlight reflected off Tsubasa's azure hair, the fingers on her right hand playing with a few strands of it as she placed her chin on her left wrist for support. No matter how many times she had seen this blue hair splayed across something, be it her lap or a pillow, she never grew tired of it. Suppresing a small yawn, Maria shifted in her seat to find a more comfortable spot, closed her eyes, and begun humming the song that she would often sing to her little sister years back.

Back at their apartment, the pair had thanked Ogawa for the day and the Producer wished them a good night before driving off. After another brief escapade in the shower, Maria and Tsubasa lied down on fresh bedsheets and crawled underneath the comfort of their blanket. Despite this, Maria's eyelids felt little weight at all, her lips curling as she glanced at Tsubasa who was still making herself comfortable in their bed. She then glanced at their bedside drawer, her thoughts racing as she desired to top off everything that had occured today with one final step. The third, and final act. The climax.

"Maria."

"Yes?" her voice was louder than she intended as she snapped back to reality, finally noticing that Tsubasa was now sitting on top of her. Both of them wore little underneath the warm comfort of their blanket, and as Tsubasa straddled her, the blue-haired girl leaned forward until their faces were mere centimetres from each other. It was a cold night, but the contact between their bodies kept them warm. The room was lit only by a small, blue night-light, but Maria's eyes worked hard to take in the entire sight before her. As she felt Tsubasa's arms wrap around her neck, their chests pushing against one another, Maria gulped.

"How... How long would you be willing to hold onto me, Maria?"

She blinked, "W-What do you mean?"

As she lied down on her, Maria could feel Tsubasa's warm breath on her collarbone, "The play. Near the end, I couldn't but think about - well - us," had it not been for racing sensation in her chest, she would've been able to hear the soft _thumps_ of Tsubasa's heart, "We've been together for a time far longer than I can remember. So when I was watching those two... what they did for each other... I..."

A warm smile on her lips, Maria finally lifted her arms from her sides and embraced the girl before her, just like how she would always do every night, ever since they had gotten together. While an evening such as this had occured long before they had moved into the same apartment, the sparks it flared within her never seemed to ever flicker away.

Tsubasa had fallen silent, and Maria's thoughts raced to find an answer for Tsubasa's hanging question. Then, as her eyes flared, she opened her lips and-

A mild snore rung in her ears, and Maria pursed her lips tightly, both her hands releasing Tsubasa just for a moment to clench into fists as Tsubasa continued to lightly snore into her ear.

Several minutes passed as Maria fought the urge to make even a single noise. To let out even a single hint of frustration. Then, as denial passed and acceptance crept in, Maria looked to the bedside drawer and opened it up with a low sigh, "I guess I can save this for when she wakes up tomorrow," giving one last glance at the ring box that she had prepared in her personal drawer, she then closed it shut, locked it with a key, and accepted that her day ended right then and there. As she drifted off to sleep, Maria couldn't help but notice the reoccuring instance of ambigious endings today.


End file.
